U.S. patent application number 11/217558 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-26 for plastic molded center tube assembly.
Invention is credited to Ledu Quoc Nguyen, Allen Buhr Wright.
Application Number | 20060016745 11/217558 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33131536 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060016745 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nguyen; Ledu Quoc ; et
al. |
January 26, 2006 |
Plastic molded center tube assembly
Abstract
A filter for a fluid system includes a housing having an
interior cavity. A filter media is disposed in the housing and
defines a central opening. A center tube assembly is arranged
within the central opening and includes discs which are stackable
upon one another. Each disc includes a central portion having base
received by an inner wall of the central portion of the adjacent
disc. An outer portion extends radially outwardly from the central
portion and is positioned adjacent to the filter media. The central
portion, base, and outer portion may include openings to permit the
flow of fluid through the center tube assembly. The center tube
assembly provides the desired structural integrity while permitting
fluid to flow through the center tube. The present invention center
tube assembly may be produced by a plastic molding process.
Inventors: |
Nguyen; Ledu Quoc;
(Fayetteville, NC) ; Wright; Allen Buhr; (Hope
Mills, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C.
400 WEST MAPLE ROAD
SUITE 350
BIRMINGHAM
MI
48009
US
|
Family ID: |
33131536 |
Appl. No.: |
11/217558 |
Filed: |
September 1, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10445498 |
May 27, 2003 |
6962256 |
|
|
11217558 |
Sep 1, 2005 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
210/440 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2201/4023 20130101;
B01D 27/06 20130101; B01D 2201/0415 20130101; Y10T 428/139
20150115; B01D 2201/127 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
210/440 |
International
Class: |
B01D 27/00 20060101
B01D027/00 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A center tube assembly for an oil filter comprising: a first
disc and a second disc removably engaged with said first disc, with
each of said first and second discs including a central portion
defining a length and an outer portion extending radially outwardly
from said central portion, said central portion defining a
diameter, said outer portion including first and second walls
spaced apart from one another and coplanar within a plane
perpendicular to said length.
9. The center tube according to claim 8, wherein said second wall
provides an annular wall connected to said central portion by legs,
said first wall arranged radially inwardly of said second wall at
an intersection of said central portion and said legs, and said
legs, said annular wall, and said central portion defining
openings.
10. The center tube according to claim 8, wherein said central
portion of one of said first and second discs includes a vertical
wall with a base indented from said vertical wall and received by
an inner wall of said central portion of the other of said first
and second discs.
11. The center tube according to claim 10, wherein said vertical
wall includes a plurality of first openings, and said base includes
a second opening.
12. The center tube according to claim 8, wherein said first and
second discs are plastic.
13-15. (canceled)
16. The center tube according to claim 8, including a third wall
coplanar with said first and second walls, said second wall
arranged between and spaced from said first and third walls.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application is a Divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 10/445,498 filed on May 27, 2003.
[0002] This invention relates to a filter for use in fluid systems,
and more particularly, the invention relates to a center tube
commonly used in filters.
[0003] Filters are typically constructed from a housing of one or
more components secured to one another. A filter media, which is
typically a pleated type filter media, is disposed within the
interior cavity of the housing. The filter media is typically
cylindrical in shape with the exterior of the filter media defining
an input side through which dirty fluid enters. The interior of the
filter media defines an outlet side that receives the clean
fluid.
[0004] A center tube is typically arranged centrally within the
filter relative to the filter media to hold the shape of the filter
media and provide strength to the filter. The center tube is
typically constructed from metal. Center tubes of different
diameters and lengths are produced for various sized filters. As a
result, a high inventory of center tubes is required for the
different filters. Furthermore, numerous individual dies, rollers
and sealing equipment are required for producing each of the center
tubes for the various filters.
[0005] Therefore, what is needed is a center tube that permits the
flow of fluid therethrough while being able to accommodate
different diameters and lengths needed for the various filters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
[0006] A filter for a fluid system includes a housing having an
interior cavity. A filter media is disposed in the housing and
defines a central opening. A center tube assembly is arranged
within the central opening and includes discs which are stackable
upon one another. Each disc includes a central portion having base
received by an inner wall of the central portion of the adjacent
disc. An outer portion extends radially outwardly from the central
portion and is positioned adjacent to the filter media. The central
portion, base, and outer portion may include openings to permit the
flow of fluid through the center tube assembly. The center tube
assembly provides the desired structural integrity while permitting
fluid to flow through the center tube. The present invention center
tube assembly may be produced by a plastic molding process.
[0007] Accordingly, the above provides a center tube that permits
the flow of oil therethrough while being able to accommodate
different diameters and lengths needed for the various filters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Other advantages of the present invention can be understood
by reference to the following detailed description when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the
present invention filter;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a top view of the filter shown in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the filter shown in FIG.
2 taken along lines 3-3;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of one of the discs of the
center tube assembly shown in FIG. 3; and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a disc similar to that
shown in FIG. 4 with an extended outer portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] A filter 10, shown in FIG. 1, is typically used for
filtering fluid such as in a lubrication system for an engine. The
filter 10 includes a can or housing 12 that may be constructed from
one or more components secured to one another. For example, a nut
plate 14 may be secured to an outer cylindrical wall portion with a
seam 18. An O-ring 16 is placed on the nut plate 14 to seal between
the filter 10 and a mounting adaptor (not shown).
[0015] The filter 10 includes an interior cavity 20 with a filter
media 24 disposed within the cavity interior 20 to filter debris
from the fluid so that clean fluid may be returned to the engine,
such as for lubrication of engine components. The filter media 24
may be of a generally cylindrical shape and is typically pleated to
form inner edges 25 that define a central opening 27. The filter
media 24 is typically retained between end caps, which are not
shown for clarity. The filter media 24 has an inlet side 26 that
receives dirty fluid and an outlet side 28 where clean fluid exits
the filter media 24. The nut plate 14 may include perforations 22
to permit dirty fluid to enter the filter 10. Nut plate 14 may also
include a threaded aperture 34 that is used to secure the filter 10
to the mounting adaptor. The clean fluid exits the central opening
27 through the threaded aperture 34 and into the mounting
adaptor.
[0016] It should be understood that the fluid flow may be reversed
from that described above. Furthermore, the present invention
center tube assembly may also be used with a cartridge type filter
typically located within a suitable fixed housing. The filter media
is retained between spaced apart end discs, such that the outer
perimeter of the filter media is left exposed. Such a filter
arrangement is well known in the art. Moreover, it is to be
understood that the present invention center tube assembly,
discussed below, may be used in any suitable filter
configuration.
[0017] A center tube assembly 35 is disposed within the central
opening 27 to provide structural integrity to the filter 10 and
permit fluid to pass through the center tube assembly 35 to the
mounting adaptor. The center tube assembly 35 is arranged proximate
to the filter media 24 to provide support to its inner edges 25 to
maintain the shape of the filter media 24. The center tube assembly
35 includes discs 36 that are stacked to a desired height.
Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the center tube assembly 35 includes a
central portion 37 that may be any desirable shape. The central
portion 37 may include spaced apart vertical walls 38 defining
openings 39. The central portion 37 further includes a base 40 that
is indented or recessed radially from the vertical walls 38 and is
received by an inner wall 41 of the adjacent disc 36. The base 40
includes arms 42 extending between the vertical walls 38 to provide
structural rigidity. The arms 42 define openings 43 to permit the
flow of fluid therethrough. An outer portion 46 may extend radially
outwardly from the central portion 37. The outer portion 46
includes an annular wall 52 connected to the central portion 37 by
legs 50. The legs 50, annular wall 52, and central portion 37
define openings 53 that permit the flow of fluid therethrough. Fins
44 may be interconnected between the central portion 37 and the
outer portion 46 to provide additional structural rigidity to the
discs 36.
[0018] The length of the central portion 37 may be varied to
provide different length discs 36 suitable for multiple filters.
Moreover, a combination of discs 36 having different length central
portions 37 may be used to achieve a desired length of the center
tube assembly 35. Similarly, different size outer portions 46 may
also be used to provide various diameters of the center tube
assembly 35, as best shown in FIG. 5.
[0019] Preferably, the center tube assembly 35 of the present
invention is constructed from a plastic. The center tube assembly
35 may be produced by a molding process. A dedicated mold may be
used to produce a disc having a defined central portion length and
outer portion diameter. Various molds may be used to provide sets
of various sized discs that may be mixed or matched to provide a
center tube assembly of a desired length and diameter. A mold may
contain various inserts to provide different length central
portions 37 and different diameters of the outer portion 46 so that
only one mold may be needed, as will be appreciated of one of
ordinary skilled in the art. Furthermore, the disc 36 shown in FIG.
5 may be trimmed to provide a disc 36 of the diameter shown in FIG.
4 so that one mold may provide discs of different diameters.
Alternatively, a more versatile mold may be used having inserts to
vary the central portion length and outer portion diameter, as
would be appreciated by one of ordinary skilled in the art.
[0020] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner,
and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used
is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than
of limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the
appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described.
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